Ripper type continuous mining machine having a sectional cutter drum



Nov. 17, 1964 R. c. LUNDQUIST 3,157,438

RIPPER TYPE CONTINUOUS MINING MACHINE HAVING A SECTIONAL CUTTER DRUM Filed May 2, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet l E a m an lama E 1111 Q a Q [1 2 INVENTOR. Pic/lard C. Z1? 0 71/1151 Alto/Ways Nov. 17, 1964 R. c. LUNDQUIST RIPPER TYPE CONTINUOUS MINING MACHINE HAVING A SECTIONAL. CUTTER DRUM 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 2, 1963 .l[ e INVENTOR. Pic/14rd Nov. 17, 1964 R. c. LUNDQUIST 3,157,438

RIPPER TYPE CONTINUOUS MINING MACHINE HAVING A SECTIONAL CUTTER DRUM Filed May 2, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 N In @mmm

INVENTOR. Richard C. Lana ull! 144! am eys United States Patent 3,157,438 RIPPER TYPE CONTINUOUS MINING MACHHIE HAVING A SECTIONAL CUTTER DRUM Richard C. Lundquist, Palos Heights, IllL, assignor to Goodman ,Mannfacturing Company, Chicago, 111., a

corporation of Illinois Filed May 2, 1963, Ser. No. 277,540 8 Claims. (Cl. 299-43) This invention relates to improvements in mining machines and more particularly relates to an improved form of continuous mining machine commonly known as a ripper miner.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 67,267 filed November 4, 1960, now abandoned and entitled Ripper Type Continuous Mining Machine.

In continuous mining machines of the ripper type, the cutter drum at the front of the machine has heretofore been driven by a plurality of spaced cutter chains and many times the drum serves principally to carry the sprockets for the chains and change the direction of the chains as they pass thereabout. While such drives are generally satisfactory when the chains are new and are uniformly adjusted, breakage of the chains is frequent where one chain may be under excessive tension due to packing of the coal between the chain and its sprocket or the drum. Difficulty also is encountered in maintaining the tension of all of the chains uniform as they wear. As a result, when one chain may become too worn for use, all of the chains must be replaced.

In addition, where cores are left between the chains, feeding movement of the mining head is frequently retarded to such an extent that the machine must be manipulated to break the cores before the mining head can continue its mining operation, with a resultant loss in time and increased power consumption.

A principal object of the present invention is to remedy the foregoing difliculties by so supporting the cutter drum of a continuous mining machine that the drum may be directly driven from power means on the main frame of the machine by a geared drive.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simplitied and improved form of continuous mining machine of the ripper type having a rotary cutter drum at the front of the machine divided in sections, and supporting and driving the drum inwardly of the periphery thereof by support and drive means extending in the spaces between the sections and by covering the spaces between the sections with cutter chains driven from the cutter drum.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved form of continuous mining machine having a vertically movable sectional rotary cutter drum supported in advance of the machine on parallel spaced arms movable about acommon transverse axis, in which the support means for the arms extend between the adjacent ends of the sections of the drum and carry direct geared drive means for the drum, driving the drum inwardly of the periphery thereof, and in which cutter chains extend across the adjacent ends of the sections of the drum and are driven thereby to cut out the cores between the adjacent ends of the sections of the drum.

These and other objects of the invention will appear FIGURE 1 is a top planview of a continuous mining machine constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention with certain parts broken away in order v to illustrate certain details of the support structure for the cutter drum;

FIGURE 2 is a partial fragmentary view in side elevation of the forward end portion of the machine, showing certain parts of the cutter drum and its support in longitudinal section; and

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged partial fiagmentary plan view of the forward end portion of the machine with certain parts broken away and certain other parts shown in horizontal section.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG- URES l and 2 of the drawings, a continuous mining machine 10 is shown. The mining machine 10 includes a main frame 11 mounted on laterally spaced continuous traction tread devices 12, propelling the machine along the ground from working place to working place and feeding a rotary cutter drum 13 into the working face of a mine. The cutter drum 13 is supported on the main frame 11 in advance thereof, on spaced support arms 15, holding said cutter drum in position to be fed into the working face along the mine floor, to thereafter be fed upwardly along the working face by positive upward feeding movement of the arms 15.

The mining machine 10 also includes a conveyor 16 extending from a position adjacent the ground, at the forward end of the machine in an upwardly inclined direction and over the top of the machine beyond the rear end thereof, for discharging the mined material into shuttle cars or other material transporting means.

An inclined apron 17 extends across the front of the conveyor 16 and rearwardly along opposite sides thereof, and has gathering mechanism 18 mounted thereon for gathering the mined coal and progressing it onto the receiving end of the apron 17. The gathering mechanism 18 is herein shown as being a pair of orbitally travelling I gathering arms 19 moving in orbital paths to progress the mined material from the sides of the apron toward the center thereof, and upwardly therealong onto the con veyor 16 in a well known manner, so not herein shown or described further.

The arms 15 are each pivotally mounted adjacent their rear end portions between side frame members 29 of the main frame 11 and inwardly spaced brackets 21 on transverse shafts 22 mounted in said brackets and side frame members and extending outwardly of the side frame members 20. The shafts 22 form bearing supports for a pair of oppositely facing bevel gears 23 and 24, journalled on said shafts on anti-friction bearings 25. The bevel gears 23 and 24 on each shaft 22 serve as driving members for the cutter drum 13 in a manner which will hereinafter be more clearly described as this specification proceeds.

The arms 15 are connected together at their forward ends by a vertically extending transverse plate 26 extending laterally beyond opposite sides of the arm 15. The arms 15 each have a lever arm 27 depending from the rear end portion thereof. and extending angularly rearwardly of the shafts 22 and connected together by a trmsverse barr 29 having spaced ears 36 extending downwardly therefrom. A piston rod 31 extensible from a cylinder 32 extends between the ears 30 and is pivotally connected thereto as by a pivot pin 33. The cylinder 32 is transversely pivotedat its head end on the mainframe 11 beneath die conveyor 16 in a conventional'manner (not shown). Y Y

Thus, when fluid under pressure is admitted to the head end of the cylinder 32 and held inthe head end of said cylinder, to position the cutter drum in position to be sumped into the mine facle along the floor, 'the continuous traction tread devices may advance said cutter drum into the mine face to substantially the full depth thereof. ,The continued admission of fluid under pressure to the head end of the cylinder 32 will then feed the cutter drum 13 vertically along the mine face to a ppsition adjacent the mine roof. I The admission of fluid under pressure to the piston rod endofthe cylinder 32 and is, provided to retainsaid drum to said'hub.

will move the cutter drum 13 downwardly along the working face, or control-downward movement thereof, and stop downward travel of the cutter drurn 13 at a desired elevation with respect to the ground by holding fluid under pressure in the piston rod end of the cylinder 32. it r v Referring now in particular to the cutter drum 13 and.

its support on the arms 15, said cutter drum, as shown" in FIGURE 3, comprises an inner drum section 39 and outer drum sections 40'spaced outwardly from opposite ends of said inner drum section distances sufficient to The end drum sections 40 are each of a similar con- 'struction and the construction of the intermediate drum section 39is the same for each end thereof so the construction of-one end drum section and of one end of'the drum section 39 only need herein be described.

The iirtermediate drum section 39 has a support drum 48 mounted therein and spaced inwardly from the end thereof and keyed or otherwise secured thereto. The support drum 48 has an annularweb 48a having a tapered bore keyed or otherwise secured to the tapered inner end portion of a hub 49of a bevel gear, 50. A cap 49a secured to the inner end of the hub 49 abuts the web 43:: The bevel gear 50 is in turn keyed or otherwise secured to the inner end of a transverse shaft 51, for driving said 7 shaft. The shaft 51 forms a drive member for the outer drum sectioned as will hereinafter more clearly appear as this specification proceeds.

Each support; arm 41 extends in the space between the adjacent ends of the associated intermediate and outer drum sections39 and 40 respectively, and forms a support for a cylindrical support or housing 53 extending forwardly therefrom (FIGURES 2 and 3). The cylindricalhousing 53 extends radially inwardly of the drums 39 and 40. An end wall 54 for the housing 53 is secured to the inner end of the cylindrical housing 53 and extends radially inwardly therefrom and has'a hub54n forming a bearing support for anti-friction bearings .55 journalling the hub of the bevel gear 50 on said end wall and cylindrical housing, 7 I

The end of the cylindrical ihousing 53 opposite from the hub'49 has an 'annular end wall 57, shown as secured to said housing as by machine screws 59 and extending The t outer drum sections 40 have rows of similar cutter blocks 46 projecting radially therefrom and carrying the usual cutter bits 47.

, a us arm 41 on anti-friction bearings 77 and is driven froman inwardly spaced parallel shaft 79 through a spur gear train 80. The shaft 79 is shown in FIGURE 3 as being.

journalled at its forward end in the end plate 26 on an anti-friction bearing 81 and as being journalled adjacent its rear end on an anti-frictionbearing 82 mounted in a bearing support 83 secured to the outer face of the arm a and extending outwardly therefrom. A bevel pinion with and driven from a bevel pinion 86 on the end of a shaft 83. The shaft 88 is driven by a motor 89. The drive from the motor 89 to the shaft 88 may include speed reduction gearing (not shown) housed within an end casing 90 extending forwardly of the casing for the motor 89. v The apron 17 and gathering mechanism 18 are elevated and lowered with respect to the ground about the axes of coaxial pivot pins 91 by operation of cylinder and piston units 93 mounted on the transverse shafts 22 on theends of piston rods 94 of the cylinder and piston. unitsfand pivotally connected to -a frame structure 94 for the apron 17 and gathering mechanism 18 on transverse pivot the outer surface of the cylindrical housing 53. The

fcutter chain 99 is shown in FIGURE l'as extending:

across the adjacent ends of the intermediate and end 7 cutter drums 39 and ifl respectively, and asmeshing with sprocket teeth 100 and 101 on the adjacent ends of the respective intermediate and end cutter drums 39 and 40..

The cutter chain 99 may be of a usual. block and strap type of cutter chain. Y r i The cutter chain 99 generally includes a series of links 103 pivotaliy connected at their opposite ends to connector blocks 104, by pivot pins 105. The links 103 have fiat upper or outer surfaces carrying cutter bits. 106 extending from the centers of certain links and fromthe outer sides of certain'other links. As-shown in FIG- -URE 1, the cutter'bits 106 are so arranged that an outer cutter bit106 on the right'hand side of the cutter chain radially inwardly therefrom; The end wall 57 has a generally cylindrical bearing supportmember 60 extending leads a center bit and the center bit'leads an outer bit 106 on the left hand side of the machine. This is'a, socalled, Wave arrangement of thecutter bits whichfmay be varied in accordance with.varying cutting conditions. The teeth of thesprockets 100 and 101 mesh between the. pivot pins 105 at opposite sides of the chain forv driving the chain about the sectional-cutter drum 13' and along the support or guide surfaces 96 and 97 of the arm 41;

The cutter chain 99 is guidedito change its direction of travel 'rearwardly of the rear 'end' of the arm 41' on 'a' guide shoe 107 having a channelled guide 109 extending thereabout. The guide shoe 107. is generally l J-shaped'in 1 form andis slidably guided in parallel recessed portions 110 of the arm'41 and is adjustablymoved w ith'respectj nular plates '64 welded or otherwisefsecured thereto. and

we lded or otherwise secured to the inner periphery of the drum 40. An end plate 65 is. shown iu'FIGURE 3 as havinga hub 66 extending inwardly along the shaft 51 and keyed or otherwise secured thereto. The end plate is securedjto the outer annular plate64 as by machinescrews s. j g V i The drive to the bevel gear 50 and the drum sections 319v and 40 includes a. bevel pinion 67 on the innerend of a the ilongitudinalshaft'69, and 'meshing with thebe vl :gear 50. The shaft 69 extends along a slot69a in the support 'armj ilfthrough an opening 76 in the cylindrical housing 53; an'dlis journailed atiits inner end on radial end thrust bearings-170 carried in a bearing support 71 etc tending. inwardly of an outer web 7270f. the cylindrical r housing53. 1 Aadust collar closes the openin'g 76 in'the i cylindrical housing 53 and extends about the shaft 69.

. The sliaftj69-is journalled inter-mediate its ends in the' ly eliminating the cutter to said arm to take-up tension on the cutterchain;

by. means of a take-up screw 1'11 threaded within the- .shoe 107 in an open portion 112 thereof and abutting a rear face 113 of the arm 41 at its head; The take-up screw 111 is locked in position by means of' a lock nut 1.15,- It may be seen from FIGURE '2 that the cutter bits .106 are relatively short with respectto the cutter bits' 45f [and are spaced along the links 103 to cut out the cores left between the adjacent cutter bits 45 and 47; Thecutter bits 106 by cutting out the coresbetween the cutter, bits 45 and 547 clear a path in the coal between said cutter bits and prevent the cutter head from hanging up on the cores-that would ordinarily be' left between said cutter bits and also make it possible todrive the sectional 'cutteri drum 13'by afrnechanical" geared drive connection entire?" chains heretofore required to. drive the cutter drurn i a While I have herein shown and described one form in which my invention may be embodied, it'may readily be understood that various variations and modifications in the invention may be attained without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts thereof, as defined by the claims appended hereto.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a continuous mining machine, a main frame, cutting means spaced in advance of said main frame and mounted thereon for angular movement about a horizontal axis extending transversely of said main frame, said cutter means comprising a cutter drum extending across the front of said main frame and at least one additional cutter drum spaced laterally from an end thereof and forming an axial continuation thereof, a common support for said drums extending into adjacent ends of said drums radially inwardly of the peripheries of said drums and forming a bearing support means therefor, drive means carried by said support and having driving connection with said drums in the space therebetween, and a cutter chain extending over the space between said drums and guided for movement along said support member and driven by said drums, for cutting the core left in the space between said drums.

2. In a continuous mining machine, a main frame, cutting means spaced in advance of said main frame and mounted thereon, for angular movement about a horizontal axis extending transversely of said main frame, said cutter means comprising a cutter drum extending across the front of said main frame and at least one additional cutter drum spaced laterally from an adjacent end of said first mentioned cutter drum in axial alignment therewith and forming a continuation thereof, a common support for said drums extending into adjacent ends of said drums radially inwardly of the peripheries of said drums and forming bearing support means for said drums, drive means carried by said support and having driving connection with said drums in the space therebetween, an orbitally guided cutter chain guided for movement along said support and extending about said drums over the space between said drums, and sprocket teeth projecting from the adjacent ends of said drums and meshing with said cutter chain, for driving said cutter chain about said drums.

3. In a continuous mining machine, a main frame, cutter means spaced in advance of said main frame and mounted thereon for angular movement about a horizontal axis extending transversely of said main frame, said cutter means comprising an intermediate cutter drum extending across the front of said main frame and end cutter drums coaxial with said intermediate cutter drum and forming continuations thereof, a support member transversely pivoted to said main frame and having parallel spaced forwardly projecting arm portions extending therefrom, each arm portion having a generally cylindrical support member secured thereto and projecting forwardly therefrom and extending within the adjacent ends of said drum sections and having bearing support means carried thereby forming bearing supports for said drum sections, drive means for driving said drum sections to rotate together comprising an individual shaft extending along each arm within said cylindrical support members and journalled therein and bevel geared drive connections within said cylindrical supports for simultaneously driving said drum sections from said shaft, sprocket teeth on the adjacent ends of said drum sections, and cutter chains meshing with said sprocket teeth and guided for orbital movement about said arms and drum sections, for cutting the cores between said drum sections and maintaining clear paths for the advance of said drum sections into a mine face and vertically therealong. I p

'4. In a continuous miner, a main frame, laterally spaced continuous traction tread devices supporting said main frame and propelling said main frame along the ground, parallel spaced arms projecting forwardly of said main frame and transversely pivoted thereto adjacent the forward end of said main frame, for movement about a horizontal transverse axis, power means for moving said arms about said transverse axis and maintaining said arms in various desired positions of elevation, a cutter drum extending between said arms and rotatably mounted thereon, an individual motor mounted on each side of said main frame, drive connections from said motor to said cutter drum including drive shafts rotatably journalled in said arms and extending along each end of said cutter drum inwardly of the periphery thereof, geared drive connections from said drive shafts to said cutter drum, outer cutter drums rotatably mounted on the outsides of said arms for rotation about axes concentric with the axis of said first mentioned cutter drum and driven by said first mentioned cutter drum, sprocket teeth projecting from the adjacent ends of said drums, and cutter chains meshing with said sprocket teeth and extending across the spaces between said drums about the forward end portions of said drums and guided for movement about said arms and driven by said sprocket teeth.

5. In a continuous miner, a main frame, laterally spaced continuous traction tread devices supporting said main frame and propelling said main frame along the ground, parallel spaced arms projecting forwardly of said main frame and transversely pivoted thereto adjacent the forward end of said main frame, for movement about a horizontal transverse axis, power means for moving said arms about said transverse axis and maintaining said frame in various desired positions of elevation, cylindrical supports mounted on said arms and extending forwardly therefrom, a cutter drum extending between said arms, said cylindrical supports extending within opposite ends of said cutter drum and forming a bearing support means therefor, an individual motor mounted on each side of said main frame, drive connections from said motor to said cutter drum including drive shafts extending along said arms within said cylindrical supports and journalled in said arms and said cylindrical'supports, bevel geared drive connections from said shafts to said cutter drum, outer cutter drums extending along the outsides of said cylindrical supports on the outsides of said arms and rotatably supported thereby, and driven by said first mentioned cutter drum, sprocket teeth projecting from said drums at the adjacent ends thereof, and cutter chains meshing with said sprocket teeth and extending across the spaces between said drums and guided for orbital movement along and about said arms and drums.

6. In a continuous mining machine, a mobile main frame, a sectional cutter drum, rotatable about a horizontal transverse axis, a pair of parallel spaced arms supporting said drum in advance of said main frame and transversely pivoted thereto for movement together about a common horizontal axis and feeding said cutter drum vertically along a working face of a mine, transversely extending coaxial cylindrical housings mounted on said arms at the forward ends thereof and extending forwardly therefrom and forming a support for said cutter drum,

said cutter drum including an inner cutter drum extending along the peripheries of said housings into positions closely adjacent said arms and end cutter drums extending about the peripheries of said cylindrical housings from positions adjacent said arms outwardly beyond the outer ends of said housings, longitudinal drive shafts journalled in said arms adjacent their rear ends and extending along said arms into said housings, bearing support means for eral limits of said housing, a support and drive member amuse mounted, on said hub and having supporting and driving connection with one of said cutter drums of said sectional drum, a shaft driven by said bevelgear. and forming a drive member for another of said cutter drums of said sectional drum, and bearing support means on said housing spaced radially inwardly 'of the peripheral limits of p the cylindrical wall of said housing and forming a bearing support for another of said cutter drums of said sec- 'tional drum on said housing. a

.7. In a continuous mining machine, a mobile main frame, parallel spaced arms projecting forwardly of said mainframe and transversely pivoted thereto for moveinent about a common horizontal axis extending trans versely of; said main frame, power means for moving said arms about said horizontal axis and maintaining said arms in various desired positionsof' elevation, transversely extending coaxial cylindrical housings mounted on the forward end portions of said arms and extending forwardly therefrom and also extending laterally of said arms in opposite directions, an inner cutter drum extending between said arms along the peripheries of said housings into positions closely adjacent said arms, and end cutter drums extending about the peripheries of said housings outwardly of said arms beyond the outer endsfof said housings, a bevel gear within each housing mounted for rotation about an axis coaxial with the axis of rotation of said cutter drums, a shaft extending along each arm into an associated'housing, bearing means mounted on each arm supporting said shaft for rotation about an axis extending longitudinally of said arm, other bearing means mounted on each housing within the limits thereof and' by each bevel gear andforming a drive means for theas sociatedend cutter drum. 7 V a a,

8; In a continuous mining machine, a mobile main frame, parallel spaced arms projecting forwardly of said main frame and. transversely pivoted thereto formovement about a common horizontal axis, power means for moving said arms about said horizontal axis and maintain-1,

ing said arms in various desired positions of elevation,

transversely extending coaxial cylindrical housings mount- 4 1 ed on the forward end portions. of said arms and extend ing forwardly therefrom and laterally beyond opposite sides of said arms, an inner cutter drum extending, be-

tween s aid arms along the peripheries ofsa'id housings into positions closely adjacentsaid arms, end cutter drums extending about the peripheries of said cylindrical housings,i'r,om positions adjacent'said arms'outwarriy beyond the ends of said housings, a motor driven shaft extending aiongjeach arm into an associated housing, bearing sup port means on each arm for the rearward end'portion of the associated shaft, other bearing support means carried by each housing forming'a bearing support for the forward end portion of anassociated' shaft, a bevel pinion on said shaft within the limits of said housing, each housing having spaced end walls, a bevel: gear meshing with said bevel pinion and having a hub rotatably' journalled on the inner of said end walls and extending inwardly therefrom, a supporting and driving connection between said. hubrandan adjacent end of the inner of saiddrums, the outer end wall of said housing having a cylindrical support projecting outwardly therefrom andiforming a bearing support and mounting for an associated end cutter drum, and a shaft driven byrsaid bevel gearandextending coaxially ofsaid cylindrical support and formingjai' drive member for an associated end drum.

References Cited in the file. of this patent V UNITED STATES PATENTS 720,841 1 Pawel l Feb. 17,1903' 2,808,253 Miller loci. 1, 1957 3,062,518 7 Osgood Nov. 6, 1962 

1. IN A CONTINUOUS MINING MACHINE, A MAIN FRAME, CUTTING MEANS SPACED IN ADVANCE OF SAID MAIN FRAME AND MOUNTED THEREON FOR ANGULAR MOVEMENT ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID MAIN FRAME, SAID CUTTER MEANS COMPRISING A CUTTER DRUM EXTENDING ACROSS THE FRONT OF SAID MAIN FRAME AND AT LEAST ONE ADDITIONAL CUTTER DRUM SPACED LATERALLY FROM AN END THEREOF AND FORMING AN AXIAL CONTINUATION THEREOF, A COMMON SUPPORT FOR SAID DRUMS EXTENDING INTO ADJACENT ENDS OF SAID DRUMS RADIALLY INWARDLY OF THE PERIPHERIES OF SAID DRUMS AND FORMING A BEARING SUPPORT MEANS THEREFOR, DRIVE MEANS CARRIED BY SAID SUPPORT AND HAVING DRIVING CONNECTION WITH SAID DRUMS IN THE SPACE THEREBETWEEN, AND A CUTTER CHAIN EXTENDING OVER THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID DRUMS AND GUIDED FOR MOVEMENT ALONG SAID SUPPORT MEMBER AND DRIVEN BY SAID DRUMS, FOR CUTTING THE CORE LEFT IN THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID DRUMS.
 6. IN A CONTINUOUS MINING MACHINE, A MOBILE MAIN FRAME, A SECTIONAL CUTTER DRUM, ROTATABLE ABOUT A HORIZONTAL TRANSVERSE AXIS, A PAIR OF PARALLEL SPACED ARMS SUPPORTING SAID DRUM IN ADVANCE OF SAID MAIN FRAME AND TRANSVERSELY PIVOTED THERETO FOR MOVEMENT TOGETHER ABOUT A COMMON HORIZONTAL AXIS AND FEEDING SAID CUTTER DRUM VERTICALLY ALONG A WORKING FACE OF A MINE, TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING COAXIAL CYLINDRICAL HOUSINGS MOUNTED ON SAID ARMS AT THE FORWARD ENDS THEREOF AND EXTENDING FORWARDLY THEREFROM AND FORMING A SUPPORT FOR SAID CUTTER DRUM, SAID CUTTER DRUM INCLUDING AN INNER CUTTER DRUM EXTENDING ALONG THE PERIPHERIES OF SAID HOUSINGS INTO POSITIONS CLOSELY ADJACENT SAID ARMS AND END CUTTER DRUMS EXTENDING ABOUT THE PERIPHERIES OF SAID CYLINDRICAL HOUSINGS FROM POSITIONS ADJACENT SAID ARMS OUTWARDLY BEYOND THE OUTER ENDS OF SAID HOUSINGS, LONGITUDINAL DRIVE SHAFTS JOURNALLED 